ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Governor Wes Moore testified in favor of three affordable housing bills Tuesday in Annapolis.
The goal of the bills is to spur new housing construction, ease regulations, enhance long-term financial investment in low-income areas, and centralize resources for Maryland renters.
Each one of those prerogatives are all part of the main objective - making Maryland more affordable.
"Maryland is facing a housing crisis and it isn’t just hurting some of us – it’s hurting all of us. When we talk about Maryland’s housing crisis, we’re talking about individual lives and livelihoods, but also the health and success of our entire state,” said Gov. Moore. “The housing crisis remains one of the greatest threats to Maryland’s success— and that’s why our administration has assembled the most comprehensive housing package that any Maryland administration has introduced in years. This housing package will help us make Maryland more affordable, and empower us to unleash the potential of our state.”
The first bill, The Housing Expansion and Affordability Act, addresses Maryland's housing supply and affordability concerns. This bill will incentivize the construction of highly targeted new housing by removing barriers to development that have contributed to the current shortage.
Senate Bill 483, or The Housing and Community Development Financing Act, focuses on strengthening state financing tools for housing construction and community development investments.
Finally, The Renter's Rights Stabilization Act will address the immediate need of renters who have experienced housing instability.
This bill will seek to:
- 1) establish an Office of Tenant Rights in the Department of Housing and Community Development responsible for providing renters with information about their rights under law and creating a tenant's bill of rights;
- 2) address the high eviction filing rate in the nation by increasing the eviction filing fee and preventing it from being passed on to renters;
- 3) reduce the allowable security deposit from two months rent to one month;
- 4) create a powerful new pathway to homeownership by creating a statewide right of first refusal, allowing renters the right to purchase their home if being sold;
- 5) modify the state’s new rental voucher program to provide prioritization of vouchers for families with children under the age of five and for pregnant women.
Each
